Montana Agate

Item Description

Agate is a wide ranging categorical name for colorful, often banded, gemmy to opaque varieties of Chalcedony, which is a microcrystalline/cryptocrystalline variety of Quartz. There are thousands of places on Earth where Agate has been reported, and the diversity and widespread occurrences of the material make it incredibly fun for collectors. Here we have a wonderful example of the famed Montana Agates, which are found over an area of hundreds of square miles in southeastern Montana in alluvial gravels of the Yellowstone River. They often feature combinations of rich brown, golden and orange hues, along with some kind of colorless areas in the stones, and the distinct banding along with "spots" and almost "Rorschach"-esque patterns make them very popular in the gem/lapidary world. This stone is a large and fine quality "Rectangle" stone with good patterns, spots and colors. The gem looks when backlit, and it would make for a fantastic center stone in a piece of jewelry or even on display in your case, as it's big enough to be seen on a shelf.